One of my favorite eating places in Puerto Rico are the Kioscos in Luquillo Beach (Quiosks). Of course, they are purely into native food prepared in the traditional way. I am so glad that you have wonderful memories of Puerto Rico. Here is the recipe that you mentioned in your message. I consider them delicious!

PIONONOS
Stuffed Plantains

3 ripe plantains, each cut into 4 lenghtwise slices
Oil for frying

Stuffing:
3 tb annato oil or oil mixed with bijol for color
1 lb lean ground meat
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed in the mortar or minced
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 tomato chopped
2 oz. ham for cooking, chopped or ground in the processor
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 tb capers, drained and chopped
8 pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
3 eggs, well beaten
2 tb all purpose flour, mixed with the eggs
Oil for frying.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and fry the plantain slices in both sides, until they are golden. Remove them to a platter already lined with absorbent paper towels. As soon as cool enough to handle, shape each slice into a circle and secure each with a toothpick. Set aside.

To make the feeling, heat the annato oil or oil mixed with Bijol in a skillet and sauté the groun beef until it has lost its red color completely, and the particles are separating. Add the onion, crushed garlic, bell pepper and saute. Add the tomato, oregano, salt and pepper and ground ham, stirring well until mixture is well blended and drying up. Stir in chopped capers and olives. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Drop 1 tb of the egg and flour mixture in hot oil.
When it almost solidifies, put one of the plantain circles on top. Fill with the ground beef cooked mixture. Top with another Tb of egg mixture. Continue frying for a short time, bathing with hot oil, so that it begins to solidify. Turn with a spatula and continue fryng until both sides are solid, with the ground beef in the middle (stuffed. You can stuff the piononos with ground chicken or a mixture of veal, pork and beef. Serves 6

My recommendation is that you should not feel dissapointed with the first one nor the second, if they are not perfect. After the third, I am sure that you will be comfortable doing them.

Risa, thanks for asking. I love our native food so much that sometimes I wish I could share more recipes with all of you.

Thanks again. Your friend.

Gladys/PR